One Of The Band

Rock Chameleon Bowie Says New, Low-key Persona Is His True Color

LOS ANGELES — Of all the identities David Bowie has assumed in his 20-year career, his most recent one may be the hardest to swallow-that of a sincere, hard-working rock `n` roll Tin Man.

Having spearheaded the glam-rock, techno-pop and new-wave movements of the 1970s and `80s, Bowie judiciously draws from his roots in his new band, Tin Machine. The ensemble features guitarist Reeves Gabrels, bassist Tony Sales and drummer Hunt Sales. Their British rock sound and high-fashion image are as straightforward as anything Bowie has done.

Bowie is working hard to reinforce the notion that Tin Machine is a genuine democracy, not just an anonymous band with a superstar front man. To that end he has insisted that interviewers include other band members. Asking fans to perceive Tin Machine as a band may seem like an impossible request, but Bowie says his followers are complying.

``It seems over the last few months that people have begun to finally understand that this is a band,`` Bowie said. ``It`s pretty much happened along the way because we`ve always promoted this as a band. We`ve been together quite a little while now, so the idea is not as novel and unique as some may think.``

Bowie says he has even toned down his megawatt performance style to divert more attention to his new comrades.

Although some may perceive Tin Machine as a democratic unit, others question whether the band is the latest calculation from rock `n` roll`s wiliest changeling.

Some fans may remember Bowie`s early 1970s retirement from performing.

(In fact, Bowie was retiring his ethereal and androgynous Ziggy Stardust stage persona.) The singer returned to the stage in the mid-1970s with a series of incarnations-a suave soul crooner, a Germanic techno-pop maestro and an Earthbound alien.

Bowie`s chameleonic career came to profitable fruition on his masterful 1983 dance-pop album, ``Let`s Dance.`` But he hit the skids after a spate of poorly received albums and a disastrous 1987 tour.

Bowie says a midlife crisis and drug problems made him vulnerable to dance-pop commercialism.

``Up to that point in my career, I had never done anything but what was right for myself,`` Bowie said.

``Then suddenly I found myself in this trap of `Gee, I wonder what sort of dancey thing do they want now?` We struck a gold mine with `Let`s Dance.`

It was initially meant to be an interesting take on dance music, with neo-rock blues guitar and some strong lyrical content. But it just went through the ceiling.

``Suddenly I was this middle-of-the-road artist who was getting all these yuppie people at his shows, and it was hard to get out of that bag. I was getting off the drugs, I was approaching 40, and it was all making me indifferent to music.``

Some critics have voiced suspicions that Tin Machine is just a back-to-basics ploy designed to lure back fans who were weary of Bowie`s ever-changing image. The singer dismisses such suspicions as ``humbug and poppycock.``

``I have absolutely no control over people`s perceptions,`` he said.

``It`s not so much a matter of me not wanting to dignify such questions with an answer, it`s just that I know I cannot change anyone`s opinion.``

Guitarist Gabrels admires Bowie`s willingness to become an equal partner. ``I don`t think David is trying to be anonymous, he`s simply trying to be a part of the band,`` Gabrels said. ``I think he`s proud of his past, as he should be, but . . . he knows you have to keep inventing.``

It looks as though Tin Machine will redeem Bowie`s creative slide. He says the band was formed in response to the ``formula approach`` so popular in contemporary music. The initial idea was to bring improvisation back to rock

`n` roll.

Bowie believes ``Tin Machine II`` comes close to fulfilling that goal. The album, whose lyrics run to topics as diverse as child prostitution and maturing, is looser than its predecessor.

``I personally feel everybody was jostling for position on the first album,`` Bowie said. ``That`s not necessarily a bad thing; a good dose of friction could be the best thing for a group. What we`ve done on this album is find a way for four guys to express themselves without overwhelming the others.``